The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors.
Some electrical systems, such as network switches and computer servers with switching capability, include electrical connectors mounted to circuit boards. The electrical connectors may be mounted to a circuit board, and a receptacle connector may be mounted to another circuit board. The electrical connector receives the receptacle connector. The electrical connector typically includes a base having side walls and a gap therebetween. Multiple contacts are positioned in the gap. The contacts are electrically connected to traces in the circuit board on which the electrical connector is mounted. In other electrical systems, the electrical connectors terminate to cables rather than a circuit board.
However, conventional electrical connectors have experienced certain limitations. It is desirable to strengthen the side walls to increase the structural rigidity of the electrical connector. However, traditional methods for bracing the side walls include structural members that interfere with attempts to arrange the electrical connectors in a dense array. For example, it is desirable to position several electrical connectors adjacent to one another in order to create an electrical connector array. To decrease the amount of rack space occupied by the array, it is desirable to position the electrical connectors as close as possible. The structural members between side walls limit tight spacing of the electrical connectors. For example, the structural member of one electrical connector may abut against the structural member of an adjacent electrical connector. Thus, the structural members decrease the number of connectors that fit within a given space of the circuit board.
A need remains for an electrical connector that has good structural rigidity and that can be arranged in a dense array with other electrical connectors.